I probably spend about 12 hrs a day on average doing this and I hang out during the day in several trading rooms with hundreds of other traders and that's what I sense. As you say, if you don't have a strong sense of what's up in the market then it just becomes gambling and I for one am not interested in that. As they always say, "If you want to gamble, go the Las Vegas. The food's better." We'll hopefully get out of this directionless, trendless funk soon and trading will be easier and more predictable again. Hang in there kid. PS Happy they found Elizabeth Smart alive and well. Puts things in perspective.
that's right, then you can't wait for the market to open. Makes for a very long weekend. Traders look at the market for a system, but the system is in your head. But when they don't have a good system, they think the problem is in their head.
Step 1. What is it like for you now? Say something like this (out loud maybe): This thing is a chore. Hey I don't like anything about it. I can't get to a place where i can knock down up to 20 trades a day on anything. Not ES not NZ not even QQQ. Step 2. What do you really want? Say the answer out loud for sure. It might be: I have some good resourses here, money, and a zinger set of indicators and signals. I like to groove and get down a set of turns veryday. I definitely know when to get in and it's fun when the time is clearly right. I can just as easily sit it out or wash out on any trade that I get into and just watch any flat market that comes along. I am always going to be ready when the market picks up. What I want is to just be in the groove for anytime the market sets up. If it is flat, I am cruising on the web for the fun of it. Step 3. Can you accept what you really want? Is that what it really is? Fix it up and say YES. And repeat out loud what you have written down. Step 4. Just get on with other things. Go do something.
I think that your comedy of errors is just that and the drama of this in the market that you agree exists now tends to be a lousy time for you. It is a chore. All of this is not the real you. This market almost drives you from a 1 and 5 min chart to a fifteen min chart to pick off the slow money velocity and to see your indicators and signals look like they did months ago. So slow it down on the charts to find the market operating point and bingo you are on your way. you still build some bucks and it takes some additional time. cruise a little on your puter to enjoy stuff a little. The whole point of the four steps is a to eliminate the lousy picture. What you really want is the pictures you need to have. You can take all that lousy energy you were spending and now begin to use it to just go to the pictures you want now that you have those firmly inyour mind. Step 4 is the great one. It lets you pop into something entirely different immediately while what you just did cements itself and cures. I have done this for years with those i mentor. they leave and come back the next day and we really have fun. Go for it.
Cathy you're a slugger......I admire that. I say KISS it ! And in this case KISS means...."TAKE A VACATION GIRL"...( Even if it's a "Mini-Vacation"). You got a lot on your mind and it's weight is heavier than even you realize. Go somewhere and "Breathe" for awhile....like a good wine - it improves everything. Nature has a great way of snapping one back into focus. Walk, Sing, Laugh, Dance, Giggle - - - - - even if you don't feel like it at first... you will after awhile.... Then you can come back here to us......cause you know we're all rooting for ya ! ok ? Go Git Um Kid !!!